Mauna kea is the tallest mountain in the world. The highest mountain on earth

Despite the fact that Mauna Kea rises above sea level “only” a little over 4,200 meters, this mountain is the highest on our planet. Most of it is hidden under water, and its foot begins at a depth of more than 10,000 m. Thus, it is Mauna Kei that holds the record for the highest mountain, and not Everest, as is commonly believed.

Mauna Kea is located on Hawaiian Islands V Pacific Ocean and is the most high point in that region.

The islanders have great respect for the mountain, considering it to be its peak sacred place. Even today, not all Hawaiians can climb to the summit, and only high-ranking chiefs are allowed to visit the peak of Mauna Kei.

The age of the mountain is about 1 million years, but it “lived” its most active period of life about 500 thousand years ago, and currently the volcano is extinct, and scientists believe that no eruption is expected in the foreseeable future. Although Mauna Kea activity cannot be completely ruled out, most residents of the region feel quite calm. The fact is that there are 13 observatories on the top of the mountain - the mountain is simply ideal for astronomical observations. Scientists who are constantly located above the very mouth of the volcano, as well as scientific geological equipment located there, minimize the suddenness of the onset of the eruption. Therefore, the USGS assigned the volcano the lowest possible rating.

Although Mauna Kea is located in tropical latitudes, at its summit all year round snow lies, forming large ice caps over the centuries. The slopes of the volcano are completely overgrown with dense forest, in some places almost impenetrable.

The ancient Hawaiians revered the Mauna Kea bush, which provided them with food. Before Europeans arrived on the island, indigenous people existed thanks to the fruits of the forest. However, the appearance of domestic animals with " big land“only shook the ecological balance of nature, and some representatives of the unique fauna disappeared, and the remaining ones are under pressure from introduced animals and plants. It got to the point that the Hawaiian authorities took an unprecedented step, announcing the beginning of the eradication of introduced species of flora and fauna.

At the top of the volcano there is the so-called alpine belt. This place is characterized by high lighting (and therefore high solar radiation). average temperature air below zero degrees. Strong winds are typical. Neither trees nor shrubs grow in such alpine meadows. Most of flora in this zone it is represented by low herbaceous perennials, including evergreens.

At the top of Mauna Kea is the Alpine Belt Nature Reserve. Under its protection are all representatives of the animal and plant world that live at such a high altitude. The wolf spider lives here, which can live at an altitude of 4,200 m. The total number of spiders on the summit is not known, since the study of the endemic began only in the 80s of the 20th century.

A local attraction is the Forest Scarf butterfly, which hides in the crevices of stones that are heated and retain the heat received during the day

Below alpine meadows there is a forest consisting of Golden-leaved Sophora, a leguminous tree that grows only in Hawaii. The forest area is constantly shrinking, under the yoke of introduced species. It is estimated that the current area of Sophora's forests is only 10% of its former size, so they are declared critically endangered. Now the entire forest area (212 sq. km) is a nature reserve.

Below 2 km. there is the lower zone of Mauna Kea, which is also a nature reserve. It is home to 8 species of birds that are on the verge of extinction, and 12 species of plants, the numbers of which are also inexorably falling. The ecosystem was greatly damaged by Europeans who arrived in Hawaii and cut down a significant part of the trees for their settlements, as well as clearing places for future sugar plantations.

More than 100 thousand tourists from all over the world visit the mountain every year. There is a road to the peak that can be used by powerful SUVs. The main attraction at the top of the volcano (besides the beautiful view) is the observatory. 13 scientific astronomical centers from 11 countries have been built on Mauna Kea.

During the winter months, when the snowpack is denser, many visitors to Mauna Kea ski. True, the routes are chosen not at the very top, where the wind speed can reach 110 km/h, but slightly lower.

The origins of Mauna Kea began approximately 800,000 years ago, the mountain is located on Hawaiian Islands .

Mauna Kea translates to “White Mountain” and the name comes from the snow that covers the top of the mountain from November to March.

Joseph Goodrich climbed the mountain for the first time in 1823, but it still attracts climbers

Many different legends and stories are associated with Mauna Kea. Some Hawaiians today believe that the mountain is protected by the great goddess “Pele”, and if anyone encroaches on even a small piece of the mountain, she will inevitably kill that person.

Mount Mauna Kea is very unusual and beautiful.

Thousands of tourists come here every year to see what this very thing looks like. big mountain in the world, although it does not take first place in height.

Mauna Kea is an amazing and mysterious mountain in America .

Although Mauna Kea rising above sea level “only” a little over 4,200 meters, this mountain is the highest on our planet. Most of it is hidden under water, and its foot begins at a depth exceeding 10,000 m. Thus, it is Mauna Kei that holds the record for the highest mountain, and not Everest, as is commonly believed.

Mauna Kea is located in the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean and is the highest point in that region. The islanders have great respect for the mountain, considering its peak a sacred place. Even today, not all Hawaiians can climb to the summit, and only high-ranking chiefs are allowed to visit the peak of Mauna Kei.

The age of the mountain is about 1 million years, but it “lived” its most active period of life about 500 thousand years ago, and currently the volcano is extinct, and scientists believe that no eruption is expected in the foreseeable future. Although activity on Mauna Kea cannot be completely ruled out, most residents of the region feel fairly calm. The fact is that there are 13 observatories on the top of the mountain - the mountain is simply ideal for astronomical observations. Scientists who are constantly located above the very mouth of the volcano, as well as scientific geological equipment located there, minimize the suddenness of the onset of the eruption. That's why US Geological Survey assigned the volcano the lowest possible rating.

Although Mauna Kea is located in tropical latitudes, snow lies on its summit all year round, having formed large ice caps over the centuries. The slopes of the volcano are completely overgrown with dense forest, in some places almost impenetrable. The ancient Hawaiians revered the Mauna Kea bush, which provided them with food. Before the arrival of Europeans on the island, the indigenous population existed thanks to the fruits of the forest. However, the appearance of domestic animals from the “mainland” only shook the ecological balance of nature, and some representatives of the unique fauna disappeared, and the rest are under pressure from introduced animals and plants. It got to the point that the Hawaiian authorities took an unprecedented step, announcing the beginning of the eradication of introduced species of flora and fauna.

Flora and fauna

At the top of the volcano there is the so-called alpine belt. This place is characterized by high lighting (and therefore high solar radiation). The average air temperature is below zero degrees. Strong winds are typical. Neither trees nor shrubs grow in such alpine meadows. Most of the flora in this zone is represented by low herbaceous perennials, including evergreens.

Located at the top of Mauna Kea Alpine Belt Nature Reserve. Under its protection are all representatives of the animal and plant world that live at such a high altitude. Lives here wolf spider, which can live at an altitude of 4,200 m. The total number of spiders at the top is not known, since the study of the endemic began only in the 80s of the 20th century. Local landmark - butterfly " forest scarf”, which hides in the crevices of stones that are heated and retain the heat received during the day.

Below the alpine meadows there is a forest consisting of Golden leaf Sophora- legume trees that grow only in Hawaii. The forest area is constantly shrinking, under the yoke of introduced species. It is estimated that the current area of Sophora's forests is only 10% of its former size, so they are declared critically endangered. Now the entire forest area (212 sq. km) is a nature reserve.

Below 2 km. located lower Mauna Kea zone, which is also a nature reserve. It is home to 8 species of birds that are on the verge of extinction, and 12 species of plants, the numbers of which are also inexorably falling. The ecosystem was greatly damaged by Europeans who arrived in Hawaii and cut down a significant part of the trees for their settlements, as well as clearing places for future sugar plantations.

Rest

During the winter months, when the snowpack is denser, many visitors to Mauna Kea ski. True, the routes are chosen not at the very top, where the wind speed can reach 110 km/h, but slightly lower.

Seamounts, unlike landmounts, are isolated rises of the underwater floor and are characterized by clearly defined peaks or peaks and steep slopes. According to scientists, the relative height of the mountains should be at least 500 - 1000 meters, and their peaks, as a rule, have the shape of a dome or cone. In cross-section, the seamount resembles an ellipse, and most of these geological formations are volcanoes that continue to be active. From the rock samples that researchers managed to bring to the surface, we can conclude that the vast majority of the mountains are made of basalt. Seamounts pose a significant danger, as during eruptions they can make navigation difficult, and when a mountain collapses, large-scale tsunamis often occur. Some seamounts are submerged archipelagos; there are also isolated seamounts, of which there are not many, and in addition, it is worth noting the seamounts that rise above the surface of the ocean. Among them the most high mountain, and also the tallest mountain in the world, counting from the base to the top, is Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii. Its relative height is 10203 m, which is more than 2 km higher than the height of Everest.
Few seamounts are mapped because the depth and height of the elevation can only be measured using a special echo sounder. It is customary for specialists to determine the length of the ridge, of which the seamount is a part, and its height is calculated by the smallest depth above the ridge. Based on such data, we can identify a list of the highest and longest seamounts completely hidden by the waters of the world's oceans.

Top 10 longest seamounts

North Atlantic Ridge (8.2 thousand km)
East Pacific Rise (7.6 thousand km)
South Atlantic Ridge (6.5 thousand km)
Australian-Antarctic Rise (5.9 thousand km)
Markus-Necker (5.8 thousand km)
East Indian Ridge (5 thousand km)
Hawaiian ridge (5 thousand km)
South Pacific Rise (4.1 thousand km)
Arabian-Indian ridge (3.7 thousand km)
West Indian Ridge (3.6 thousand km)

The highest mountains in the world underwater

1. Northwestern ridge (6000 m)

It extends over more than 2.3 thousand km, has a width of about 350 km, and the smallest depth above the ridge is just over 10 meters. The first studies of the ridge were carried out in the period from 1872 to 1897 on the ships Challenger and Albatross.

2. Hawaiian Ridge (5500 m)

The Hawaiian Ridge is an underwater volcanic formation, located in the Pacific Ocean, the ridge limits the North Pacific Basin from the southwest. The most high peaks, characteristic of the southern part, form the Hawaiian Islands, which include a number of the largest active volcanoes. The soils of the ridge are silt or sand, and the greatest depth above the ridge is 15 m.

As for such natural wonders as waterfalls, Europe has not been very successful with them, because the most enormous in power are located on other continents...

3. Shatsky Hill (5500 m)

Undersea Hill is a hill located in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Country Rising Sun. The name comes from the name of a Russian geologist. The base of the Shatsky Upland lies at a depth of 5500 - 6000 meters, and the top at a depth of 2500 to 3100 m. The geological system includes three massifs - Tamu, Ori and Shirshova. The width of the hill is 500 km, the length is about 1700 km. The study of the local depths was carried out in the 70s and 80s of the 20th century by scientists from the USSR on special vessels. According to 2013 data, the Tamu massif is considered the largest volcanic formation on planet Earth.

4. North Atlantic Ridge (5500 m)

It is located between two faults - Chain (near-equatorial) and Reykjanes. The ridge has the highest extent and maximum width of 1500 km. The peculiarity of the geological formation is that it is crossed by many faults, individual peaks are above the water and form a number of atolls, such as the Azores.

5. South Antilles Ridge (5500 m)

The submarine ridge is a ridge located in the south Atlantic and, according to studies, is a 3,500 km extension under water of the main mountain range South America- Andes. The location of the ridge is from Tierra del Fuego through the Sandwich Islands (Southern) and to the mainland of Antarctica. Rising to the surface, the South Antilles ridge forms the southern islands of Orkney, Sandwich, Shetland and Georgia.

6. Mozambique ridge (5000 m)

The Mozambique Range is located in Indian Ocean, south of the same name African country, southeast of the Dark Continent. Near the geological formation there are two basins: Mozambique in the east, Agulhas in the southwest. The length of the ridge is more than 1000 km, the width is about 300 m; according to one version, the ridge may be a continuation of Africa. The underwater world of the ridge is exceptionally rich - more than 130 species of fish live here; studies of the sole were carried out by the Danes in 1951 on the ship Galatea.

For the average person, the difference between “dormant” and “extinct” volcanoes is not obvious. But the differences between them are quite significant,...

7. Markus-Necker (5000 m)

The second name is the Central Pacific Mountains. The geological uplift is located in the western Pacific Ocean, represented by numerous mountains, peaks and mountain ranges, some of which rise above the water. The ridge forms the islands of Horizon, Wake, Marcus and Cape Johnson.

8. Line Mountains (5000 m)

Represent underwater mountain range, located in the Pacific Ocean. The ridge stretches from Johnston Island to the Tuamotu Atolls. The mountains extend for 3.4 thousand km and are up to 200 km wide.

9. West Indian Ridge (5000 m)

Located in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, the geological formation is considered mid-ocean. The ridge is about 4 thousand km long, up to 300 km wide, and the depth above the ridge ranges from 2 to 3 thousand meters. The ridge connects in the southwest with the African-Antarctic, and with the Arabian-Indian in the northeast. The surface of the ridge is strongly indented and quite discontinuous; this elevation is characterized by the presence of volcanic rock outcrops, so seismic activity here is especially increased, which is regularly recorded by scientists studying underwater earthquakes.

10. East Indian Ridge (500 m)

It is an underwater hill located in the Indian Ocean. The length of the ridge is 5000 km, the rise above the ocean bed varies between 1000 - 2000 meters, the minimum depth above the ridge is 2000 meters, silt predominates on the slopes.

Which one is the most high mountain on the ground? Any of us will answer that this is Everest (aka Chomolungma and Sagarmatha (translated from Nepali)). But that's not true. There is a mountain that is 1000 m higher than Everest.

10040 (ten thousand forty) meters - this is the height of the mountain Mauna Kea(translated from Hawaiian - “ white mountain") is a dormant shield volcano on the island of Hawaii. Coordinates: 19.816667, -155.46666719°49′00″ N. w. 155°28′00″ W. d. / 19.816667° s. w. 155.466667° W d. (G) on the island of Hawaii. Volcano Mauna Kea- the largest mountain on Earth, if you measure its height from its underwater base, located in the Hawaiian Trench at a depth of 6000 m, to the top of the peak on the island. Hawaii. The total height of the mountain is 10,205 m, of which only 4,205 m are above sea level, which ultimately gives a height of one kilometer higher than Everest (from the Guinness Book).

The crater of the volcano has not been preserved. The peak was previously almost constantly covered with snow (hence the name), now the snow cap persists from November to March. Geologists have been studying the glaciers of Mauna Kea for a long time. Recent work indicates that remnants of ice from three ice ages (from 150 thousand to 200 thousand years ago) were preserved on the volcano. The ice cap formed approximately 70 thousand years ago. Of course, ice lay on the volcano before, but all of it was destroyed by young lava flows. Mauna Kea is currently an inactive volcano; its last eruption took place about 4.5 thousand years ago.

View from the top of Mauna Kea

Due to its position, Mauna Kea - comfortable spot for atmospheric and astronomical observations, the observatory of the same name is located there.

It has been known since school that the highest mountain on Earth is Everest (Chomolungma). This is true if you measure the height of the mountain only above sea level. This raises the question, which is the tallest mountain in the world, Mauna Kea or Everest?

Not everyone knows that there are mountains on Earth that grow from the “bottom of the sea.” Mount Mauna Kea, located in the Hawaiian Islands, is one of them. It rises from the ocean, leaving almost 6,000 meters underwater. Only a small part of it rises above the surface of the water - only 4205 meters. This fact contributed to the classification of Mauna Kea as low mountains. The actual height of the dormant volcano is more than 10,200 meters. If you measure the distance from the base of the mountain to its peak, it turns out that Chomolungma is not the highest mountain. Victory will remain with Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano.

Local tribes call it " White Mountain“due to the abundance of snow on the slopes, which skiers love. Among the local tribes, Mauna Kea is considered sacred mountain. Its age is almost a million years old. Only tribal leaders can climb to the top of a sleeping volcano to communicate with spirits.

For many centuries, the mountain fed and clothed the native tribes and provided them with material for construction. But recently everything has changed. The once dense and impenetrable forests have thinned out significantly, rare representatives of flora and fauna have disappeared or are on the verge of extinction. This happened due to a disruption of the eco-system due to the active reproduction of animals brought from the “mainland” and deforestation by Europeans.

Every year, tourists from all over the world visit the White Mountain to admire the beautiful views and go skiing. The attraction of Mauna Kea is large observatory with 13 powerful telescopes, located at the top. The favorable climate on its slopes, as well as convenient humidity levels, make observations here as comfortable as possible for scientists, allowing them to make unexpected discoveries.

Answering the question which mountain is higher - White Mountain or Everest, we can say with confidence that White Mountain is higher. Chomolungma rises 8848 meters above sea level, which is less than the height of Mauna Kea by more than a kilometer.
Despite this, Everest is the most popular among climbers. This is explained by its impressive height. Every year, thousands of people strive to reach the top of Everest, despite all the dangers that may await them during the climb. At the same time, many also dream of conquering the top of Mauna Kea. Despite the seemingly “simple” 4200 meters to overcome, it is not so easy to do, as even experienced climbers are convinced of.